XX: Coming Home

Thanks go to JKR for creating the HP universe.

Thanks go to Apple Blossom for beta reading.

And thanks go also to you for reading and reviewing.

Chapter XX: Coming Home

'You're really leaving, aren't you?'

Per was looking around in the now almost empty house. Most of Cassandra's possessions had already been Flooed to Hogwarts: the bookshelf with the heavy Muggle tomes had gone and so had the carefully disguised Wizard books. The only thing left in the living room was an armchair and Nicodemus' basket.

That was why Per, Severus and Cassandra were sitting in the kitchen. The men were sitting by the window, Cassandra leaning against the counter. They each held onto a cup of freshly brewed tea, and the mood was somewhat subdued.

Cassandra smiled at her friend. 'Per, sweetheart, you have known for three months.'

'Yeah, but I was still hoping you'd change your mind.'

Per tried to sound amused, but Severus didn't need to use Legilimency to understand that the blond man opposite him was upset. And one look into Cassandra's eyes told him that she had understood as well.

Silently, he stood to leave the room. He wasn't sure if Per even noticed him leaving, but as he swept by Cassandra, he caught a glimpse of her thankful smile.

He settled on the armchair in the living room, listening. Not that he meant to eavesdrop, but somehow he wanted to know how the two friends in the kitchen took farewell.

'You look very happy, Cassandra.' Severus could clearly hear that Per was struggling to keep his voice firm.

'I am happy, Per. I am very happy.' Cassandra's tone was soft and consoling, and it made Per lose control. He was now sobbing silently, and Severus didn't need to be in the kitchen to know that Cassandra was kneeling in front of her best friend, his hands in hers.

'Don't get me wrong, love,' Per brought out between his sobs. 'I am so glad for you. You've been blooming over the last months. There is a happiness in your eyes I haven't seen since ... since ...' He broke off, and Severus heard him take a deep breath. 'Tell me honestly, Cassandra. Have you ever been this happy? Have you ever been this happy with Thorbjörn?'

Severus closed his eyes and imagined Cassandra reaching out and caressing the cheek of her friend.

'I loved Thorbjörn dearly. You know that, Per,' she said. 'But Severus knows where I come from. He is part of the world I thought I could leave behind. He makes me complete.'

'Eg elska tig, Cassandra.' Per's words were almost unintelligible now, as he was sobbing again.

'I love you, too, Per,' she whispered. 'You know I do.'

There was the sound of fabric rubbing against fabric, and Severus knew that Cassandra had now wrapped her arms around her friend and was cradling him against her chest to lend some comfort. And for some minutes, the only sound in the house were Per's muffled sobs.

Then suddenly he was standing in the living room door, his eyes red and puffy, his face pale.

'Thank you, Severus,' he said. 'Thank you for making her smile. Thank you for making her happy.'

And before Severus had even found the words to reply, Per had already reached the front door and left.

Cassandra was standing at the kitchen window, looking after her dearest friend, who was walking towards his car without even once looking back.

'I will miss him,' she whispered, and Severus carefully wrapped his arms around her and placed a tender kiss on her tear-wet cheek.

'I know you will,' he said. 'I know you will.'

~ ~ ~

After a three hours' flight and a terrible tube ride to Charing Cross Road, Severus tried to remember why he had let Cassandra persuade him to travel to England the Muggle way. Some days ago, it had sounded like an amusing idea. But now he was tired and cranky and wanted nothing more than to get to their room at the Leaky Cauldron, lie back on a fluffy pillow and enjoy a nice glass of Ogden's.

The plan was to stay at in London for three days in order to do some shopping in Diagon Alley and reacquaint themselves with the Wizarding world before travelling to Hogwarts on August first. Arriving there four weeks prior to the start of term seemed prudent. They would be almost alone in the castle and have enough time to prepare for the coming school year and their shared life in the Wizarding world.

Already during the flight, Severus had noticed a change in Cassandra's demeanour: she was unusually quiet, edgy. And as they were standing outside the shabby-looking door that was the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron and the Wizarding world, he noticed that she was awfully pale. When he took her hand, it felt clammy.

'Are you quite alright?' he inquired.

Cassandra gave him a tiny smile. 'I didn't think I was going to be that nervous.'

'I would be lying if I said that this leaves me completely unmoved,' Severus replied and jokingly stretched out his arm. To his own surprise, his hand was actually shaking.

'Are you quite sure about this, Severus?' Cassandra asked and he felt her fingers tighten around his. 'I can always disappear again. But once you step through that door, Severus Snape will have returned from the dead. There will be no turning back for you.'

Severus nodded. He was aware of that. To be honest, he had been contemplating the question of whether he was really ready for all this on the whole flight from Iceland. He had missed the Wizarding world, he had missed Hogwarts. And the day Cassandra had told him that she would come with him had been one of the happiest days in his life. But as much as he was looking forward to coming home with her by his side, he was also terrified.

'How will people react when they see Severus Snape return from the dead?' he'd asked. He had thought about that question a lot over the last couple of months, but he had never actually put it into words.

Cassandra shrugged. 'I think most will thank you for all you have done. Some will hate you, and others will not care. But no matter if they lift you to the skies or wish you to hell, remember that I will be there, right by your side.'

For a moment, Severus just stared at her. 'She would go to the gates of hell and back for you,' Per had once said. And now she had said it herself, and her devotion made Severus gape at her.

A soft tug at his hand made him return to reality. 'I asked if you were ready, Severus.'

He smiled at her and reached for the door handle. 'Yes, my love,' he replied. 'I am ready. I am ready to go home.'

~ ~ ~

There were quite a few people in the Leaky Cauldron, it being eleven o'clock in the morning, and Severus considered it bad timing to be arriving during the lunch rush. Unnoticed by anyone he slipped into a booth at the far end of the dining room while Cassandra went to organise a room for them.

'Would you like to have lunch, sir? Today's special is Shepherd's Pie.'

Severus looked up at the blond-haired witch and swallowed. He had not seen her for over eight years, but he never forgot a face. He had brewed a Calming Draught for her when she had been taking her O.W.L. exams. And he had been the one to inform Dumbledore that her mother had been murdered by Death Eaters.

He cleared his throat and ordered two pies and a jug of water, and Hannah Abbott scurried towards the kitchen without even having given him a second look. Had she not recognised him, Severus wondered. Had she not recognised the evil teacher who had made her tremble in fear for six years? Had his appearance changed so much? Or were the odds of him being still alive so slim that Hannah's brain had not even considered the possibility?

But when she returned a minute later without any pies and her eyes big as saucers, Severus realised that she had recognised him after all.

'Merlin's beard, it is you,' the young woman whispered. 'Professor Snape.'

Severus nodded, and Hannah sank onto the bench opposite him.

'But you died,' she blurted out. 'Harry told us. In the Shrieking Shack, Voldemort's snake ...'

'You should not believe everything you hear, Ms Abbott,' Severus interrupted her and saw her flinch. She had obviously not forgotten the tone of his voice and was still afraid of him.

But then she straightened. 'It's Mrs. Longbottom,' she explained.

Severus raised an eyebrow. 'You are married to Neville Longbottom?'

Hannah nodded. 'Yes. Oh I am so excited! He will start teaching at Hogwarts this autumn. Herbology of course. You know he has always had a knack for the subject.'

Severus observed the young woman in front of him as she spoke of her husband, and a relaxed feeling crept into his mind. If meeting the rest of his former students, colleagues and acquaintances went as well as this, then returning to the Wizarding world wouldn't be as hard as he had imagined.

Of course, the landlady chatting animatedly with a customer didn't go unnoticed by the other guests, and before long, Severus was surrounded by witches and wizards who were shaking his hand, patting him on the back and thanking him for everything he had done. It was overwhelming, and there was a voice inside his head that told him to scowl, to scare them away with one of the biting comments Severus Snape had been known for during so many years. But he didn't obey the voice. Instead he shook hands, humbly bowed his head and accepted the kind words.

Then he felt a familiar touch on his shoulder and turned to look into Cassandra's blue eyes. She smiled and beckoned towards the stairs.

'I'll be in our room,' she whispered. 'I don't think I can handle a crowd like this today.'

He nodded as to tell her that he would join her, but she shook her head. 'This is your big moment, Severus Snape. Enjoy it. You have deserved it.'

He felt her fingers softly brush his arm, and then she was gone.

~ ~ ~

It was Hannah who finally scattered the crowd, telling them that Severus Snape was not going to disappear and that they could talk to him another day. It was also Hannah who handed him a plate of sandwiches and a bottle of wine.

'Your lady friend seemed tired,' she said with a knowing smile. 'I'm sure she'll appreciate it if you surprise her with a little snack.'

When he entered their room, Cassandra was standing with her back against the door, gazing out the window. Diagon Alley lay below, buzzing with life, full of stores that sold magical supplies and gadgets.

He put the sandwiches and the wine on the table and stepped behind her to wrap his arms around her. Her hair was wet and she smelled of musk and honey.

He pulled her close to his chest and started nibbling at her neck. He felt her relax in his arms, and she let her head fall to the side to give him unlimited access to her neck. The soft moan that escaped her lips as he cupped her breasts in his hands made a shiver go down his spine. And suddenly, all the tension was gone, and his body was crying out for her embrace. All he wanted right now was to be close to her, to be with her, inside her. And as he turned her around, he found his own desire reflected in her blue eyes.

Her lips tasted of sweet honey, and the passion with which she answered his kiss made Severus lose his balance. He stumbled towards her and pressed her up against the window sill, their tongues entwined and their hands feverishly trying to get access to naked skin. Soon her right leg was wrapped around his waist, and he ground his crotch against hers while his fingers desperately tried to unbutton her shirt.

Fabric was torn, buttons fell the floor and shaking hands found hot flesh. Busy removing the remaining pieces of clothing, they stumbled across the room and collapsed on the bed, panting. Severus latched his teeth onto Cassandra's neck, and as he entered her with one swift movement, she arched up against him, moaning loudly. Again and again he buried himself up to the hilt in her warm wetness, and she reflected his movements by bucking up against him. His hand was on her breast, massaging the soft flesh, and his tongue darted in and out of her sweet tasting mouth, copying the rhythm of their hips.

He was oblivious of the world around him when he climaxed. The rhythmic contractions of Cassandra's muscles around his cock had been coaxing him for several minutes, but he had held back until he had felt a shiver go through her body and had been sure that she had reached her peak as well. Only then did he let go. He heard the blood rush in his ears, felt life surge through his veins, and as he spilled himself inside her, he could not help but cry out her name in ecstasy. Panting, he collapsed upon her, his whole body shaking.

When he had caught his breath, he lifted his head to look at the woman beneath him. Her cheeks were rosy, her pupils dilated, and the loving smile on her lips made him stare at her in amazement. Only a year ago, he had not even dared hope that somebody would ever look at him like that.

He rolled onto his side and pulled her close to him, letting his hands trail up over her body to caress her breasts. As he placed a tender kiss on her smiling lips, she sighed contently and nestled up against his chest, pulling a blanket over them both.

'I wonder if they heard us down in the bar,' she asked after a while and giggled.

And Severus smiled. If anyone had heard, he would not care. If it were up to him, the whole world could know that he loved the women in his arms more than anything else.

~ ~ ~

Their stroll through Diagon Alley the next morning proved to be rather exhausting. The rumour of Severus Snape having returned to the Wizarding world had spread like wildfire. And it seemed as if every witch and wizard in Britain had come to see him.

They didn't manage to buy half of the items they had planned. They actually only made it to the Apothecary, Madam Malkin's and Flourish and Blotts. The entrances to the other stores were more or less barricaded by people who had come to catch a glimpse of the wizard who had risen from the dead. They all wanted to pat his back, shake his hand and thank him.

Severus endured it. He shook hands and answered questions, just as he had done the day before at the Leaky Cauldron. He tried to put up an impassive face and stay polite. But he hated the crowd, hated being the centre of attention, and soon found himself getting edgy and rather ill-tempered. And he would gladly have fallen to his knees and kissed Cassandra's feet for her brilliant idea to shove him behind a bookshelf at Flourish and Blotts and Apparate directly to their room at the Leaky Cauldron.

'Looks as if we will have to order our supplies and have them owled to us,' she said with a broad smile on her face. 'Going shopping with you is a nightmare, Severus Snape!'

When he scowled at her, her smile faltered and was replaced by a look of concern. 'Was it like you imagined it?'

He shrugged. 'I do no know what I imagined,' he replied and turned to stare out of the window.

To be honest, he was surprised. Nobody had ever been happy to see him, and now there were wizards and witches flocking around him, beaming up at him, telling him how grateful they were and welcoming him back into their midst. Even former students whom he had made gut Flobberworms and clean cauldrons with their toothbrushes were now talking to him with smiles on their faces.

'You're a hero, Severus Snape.'

Lost in his thoughts, he had not heard her approach, and her words were just as comforting at the warm embrace she offered.

'Harry Potter made sure that people know how much you have risked, how much you have sacrificed. It is only natural that they now want to come and see their hero.'

'If they only stopped beaming up at me like lovesick teenagers,' Severus growled, and Cassandra laughed.

'You might just have to get used to people looking at you differently now. You are not the scary, dark wizard anymore. You have stepped into the Light.'

He looked down at the red-haired witch in front of him and placed a chaste kiss on her forehead.

'I am very glad that I found you, Cassandra,' he murmured. 'And I am very glad that you are here with me.'

She tenderly brushed a streak of hair from his face and looked into his eyes. 'I'd like to ask you a favour, Severus.'

Anything, he thought. He would do anything for her.

'Come to Grimmauld Place with me tomorrow.'

He agreed before he realised what he was actually agreeing to. Going to Grimmauld Place meant facing the ghosts of his past. He would have to enter the house where he had never been met with anything but hatred and distrust. And he would come to stand face to face with Harry Potter.

~ ~ ~

The boy had grown up to be a man, but in Severus' eyes he was still the same: still the boy he had protected for seven years and whom he had disliked every single moment; still the Golden Boy who had saved the Wizarding world even though he was less than averagely talented; still James Potter's son.

Severus allowed himself a moment of surprise. Shaking off his past wasn't as easy as he had thought then. After almost three decades, he was still holding a schoolyard grudge.

'Mr Potter,' he greeted curtly, glowering down at the young man.

'Prof... Mr. Snape,' Potter replied, avoiding the dark wizard's gaze. He was obviously uncomfortable. No wonder, really. He had expected Cassandra, and she had certainly told him that she would bring company. But he might just not have expected Severus Snape. And if he had, well, his feelings against his former Potions master were just as unfriendly as the ones the older wizard held for him.

'It feels strange to welcome you to your childhood home,' Potter addressed Cassandra. 'But please, do come in.'

The place had lost its gloom. The shrunken elf heads had been removed from the banister, and somehow Potter had even managed to remove Walburga Black's portrait.

'Feel free to go anywhere you want,' Potter told Cassandra. 'This is much more your house than it is mine.'

She knew where to go. Her room had been on the second floor, the third door to the left, right beside Sirius' room. She would start there. Severus got ready to follow her up the stairs, but she shook her head at him. 'I'd rather do this alone. If you don't mind.'

Of course he would not mind. 'Come and find me, if you need me,' he offered. 'I will be ...'

'In the kitchen,' Potter filled in. 'I'd very much like to have a chat with you, Mr. Snape.'

Reluctantly, Severus followed Potter to the kitchen. What now, he wondered. Was the Boy Who Lived Twice going to fill him in on how he had managed to defeat the Dark Lord and save the Wizarding world from plummeting into Darkness? Would he lecture him on how to live as a hero?

'Ginny made biscuits before she left,' Potter said, pushing a plate towards Severus. 'She has taken the babies to her mother's for the day.'

Babies? Severus raised an eyebrow. Oh Merlin, the Golden Boy had produced offspring. Surely they would be just as insolent, impertinent and attention-seeking as their father and grandfather had been.

Instead of commenting, Severus gave a short nod of acknowledgement and then busied himself with stirring the coffee Potter had poured.

What as he supposed to say now? What did the boy expect? Praise?

'Thank you.'

Severus jerked up his head and stared at Potter. What had the boy just said?

'Thank you,' Potter repeated. 'Thank you for looking out for me. Thank you for giving me the tools to do what I was destined to do. I would not have succeeded without your help.'

Severus kept staring at the boy. Had those words, those words of thanks, just come out of the mouth of a Potter? Was it possible?

'You know Ginny had another boy three weeks ago,' Potter went on. 'We named him Albus Severus.'

'Albus Severus?' Severus snorted. Now that was just ridiculous. 'Mr. Potter, naming a child Albus Severus is cruel even by my standards.'

But Potter just smirked at him. 'I knew you would hate it. But sooner or later you will have to accept that the Wizarding world owes you thanks. Naming my son after you is just the beginning.'

And then they talked. They talked about the war, the peace that followed and even about the time before the war, the time when Harry Potter's mother and Severus Snape had been friends. She had been the reason why Severus had agreed to protect the boy. And now the boy was a man and had the right to know.

When Cassandra came down into the kitchen, the two men had made peace. They would never be friends, and they were both aware of that. But when they took farewell, they shook hands, and a pair of dark eyes met a pair of green ones.

'I still do not like you, Mr. Potter,' Severus growled.

And Harry Potter smiled. 'It is nice to know that some things never change.'